Cornish Pirates – Community Update

Cornish Pirates are spreading the message to ‘One and All’ about the new ‘Cornish Pirates in The Community’ Facebook page, which is well worth following for constant updates and event details!

Primary School Programme:

At the latest Festival for schools, hosted by Penair School at the beginning of February, there was an excellent display of running. Referee for the day were Cornish Pirates coach Chris Morgan and player Tom Duncan!

In total over 100 children from Shortlanesend School, Blackwater CP School, Goonhavern School, Archbishop Benson School, St Mary’s C of E, Chacewater CP School and Mithian School attended and had a wonderful experience.

The Cornish Pirates Primary School Programme aims to deliver outstanding physical education across Cornwall and is being run in over 20 schools during the spring term alone. By the way, well done to everyone for showing great resilience during this rather wet term!

The ‘Onen hag Oll’ 2019/2020 programme (Onen hag Oll, of course, means One and All in Cornish) will expand on the successful ‘One and All’ initiative run during the 2018/19 academic year. The programme will again provide enjoyable rugby experiences for young people with disabilities or in need, whilst delivering all the well recognised health and self-esteem benefits of sporting participation. The same format of two coaching sessions for every school will be adopted. Following the coaching sessions, with enthusiasm and motivation levels peaking, the children will compete in a ‘Celebration of Sport’ (CoS) day to showcase their talent. The programme this year will be run in Curnow, Doubletrees, Nancealverne, Pencalenick, Oak Tree School and Carrick Academy.

It is also great to be delivering various Mencap ‘All Move’ sessions around the county, bringing together young people with and without learning disabilities through sport and physical activity! We have Curnow School, Cape Cornwall School, Penryn College and Bodmin College all booked in for some inclusive sessions over the next few months.

As for the latest Coaching Clinic, it was an occasion described by one young participant as being ‘Ace’. Held on the 1st March, enthusiastic pupils from Trevithick Learning Academy, St Mewan CP School and Biscovey Academy gathered at the Mennaye Field, Penzance, in readiness firstly for coaching by and then to participate in a Q&A session with Cornish Pirates players Tom Cowan-Dickie and Ruaridh Dawson. Afterwards all present watched the Cornish Pirates in exciting league action versus Nottingham, besides forming the Guard of Honour, playing and exhibition game of rugby at half-time and obtaining autographs post-match. Plus, as an added bonus, a selected pupil from each of the schools were nominated mascots who ran out ahead of kick-off with Cornish Pirates players Dan Frost, Josh Caulfield and Will Wilson. The lucky trio were Hattie (St. Mewan CP School), Blade (Biscovey Academy), and Mischa (Trevithick Learning Academy).

And when is the next Coaching Clinic? Well, it is booked in for the 22nd of March when the Cornish Pirates play London Scottish.

Remember to give the new Facebook page a follow and for more information on any of the above please contact [email protected]

The various examples of community work undertaken by the Cornish Pirates over the years really has been truly considerable, including the roles played by coaches and players who have also responded to help coach certain teams about the county, which is still ongoing.